Award winning art director Harry Lange, who worked on such films as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Moonraker, has died aged 77.

Mr Lange spent the last 15 years of his life living in Juxon Street, in Jericho, having fallen in love with the city he went on to call his home.

Originally from Eisenach in Germany, he moved to America in 1951 and joined the US Air Force, preparing graphics for flying schools and helicopter manuals.

Mr Lange went on to create illustrations for Nasa. It was during his time there that he befriended sci-fi author Arthur C Clarke, and met the young film director Stanley Kubrick.

He was asked to design the interiors and exteriors of 2001: A Space Odyssey, earning him a British Academy Award and an Oscar nomination.

Mr Lange's wife Daisy inspired the last scene, when Hal the robot starts singing Daisy, Daisy.

He went on to work as art director on Kelly's Heroes, Population Growth Zero, Star Wars - for which he received a second Oscar nomination - The Empire Strikes Back, The Muppet Caper, Superman, The Dark Crystal, The Return of the Jedi and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

When he moved to Oxford 15 years ago he exhibited his work in the Ashmolean Museum, the Vale and Downland Museum and the Oxford Museum.

He also helped design the panels on the Heritage Trail at Eynsham Abbey.

Mr Lange suffered a stroke three years ago and moved to St Luke's Hospital in Latimer Road, Headington. He passed away on May 22.